criminal defense Charlotte

Waiver of Counsel: Legal Framework and Standard of Review waiver-of-counsel-in-north-carolina

Criminal defendants have a fundamental right to the assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I of the North Carolina Constitution. A defendant also has the right to proceed without counsel and represent himself or herself, but such waiver of counsel must be made knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily. North Carolina law requires trial courts to conduct a thorough inquiry before accepting a waiver of the right to counsel.

This inquiry is codified in N.C.G.S. § 15A-1242, which provides that a judge may allow a defendant to proceed pro se only after confirming that the defendant:

This case is a reminder: if you’re raising a claim of sexual discrimination in jury selection, the challenge must be made clearly and at the right time—or it may be lost forever. The decision also highlights how hard it is to get relief on these issues after conviction.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this post:

Preservation of Constitutional Jury-Selection Claims

Articles Tagged with criminal defense Charlotte

Waiver of Counsel in North Carolina

Waiver of Counsel: Legal Framework and Standard of Review

Sexual Discrimination During Jury Selection